Arborist Craig Stevens will lead a tree identification walk in the Arboretum on Sunday, February 19th from noon to 2 p.m. This year there will be a special focus on storm damage—how to prevent it, how to deal with critical pruning in the aftermath, corrective pruning for tree survival, and what species to avoid planting in the first place.

We will park along Fox Road and walk along the access road to the Arboretum. Dress warmly.

The purpose of the meeting is to conduct all business requiring approval by the membership, to elect directors and officers, to present a yearly financial report, to summarize our achievements in 2011, and to set a course for 2012.

Directors are elected by the members to serve three-year terms, while officers are elected by the Directors to serve one-year terms. The newsletter editor is appointed by the Directors. Three Directors have been re-nominated to serve through February 2015:

• Lisa Cohen

• Martin Smolin

• ToyKen Yee

Nominations for Directors may also be made from the floor at the meeting.

In order to vote, your membership must be current. You can vote either in person or by requesting a proxy. Proxies must be received no later than February 13, 2012. As always, the next issue of Treeline will contain a full report on the annual meeting.

We look forward to seeing you on the 16th.

The Arboretum will be closed temporarily due to damage caused by the recent snowstorm. The gate at the end of Fox Road will be locked and residents are urged not to hike in until the parking area and trails can be cleared and dangerous hanging branches cut down. A public announcement will be made when the Arboretum reopens.

“We are appealing to the Croton community for funds to help pay for the clean-up and remedial planting we urgently need to do,” said Arboretum president Karen Jescavage-Bernard. “The record setting amount we raised with this year’s garden tour was to be spent on improvements, but the severe storms this summer, Hurricane Irene and now this freak snowstorm have caused so much damage that improvements will have to wait unless we can raise more funds. Contributions of any amount are welcome–particularly large ones.”

To make a tax deductible contribution, send your check, payable to The Croton Arboretum and Sanctuary Inc., to:

The Croton Arboretum and Sanctuary
P.O. Box 631
Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520

Local filmmaker Ken Sargeant has put together a wonderful short film about Barry Keegan's recent visit to the Arboretum. In addition to showing Barry demonstrating flint-knapping and firemaking techniques, Ken has interspersed details from a rare 17th century Dutch map and some of Theodore Cornu's evocative drawings of Lenape life on the Croton and Hudson rivers.

See more of Ken's films on YouTube.

Native American crafts expert Barry Keegan will build an authentic wigwam in the Arboretum and use it—along with his replicas of bows, arrows, axes, buckskin, fire-making tools and pottery—to recreate the daily life of the Leni Lenape people, who lived in the Croton area at the time of Henry Hudson’s voyage.

The event will take place from October 12-15 at the Jane E. Lytle Memorial Arboretum in Croton-on-Hudson, NY. The first three days will be exclusively for the 4th grade students at the Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School and the last day, Saturday, October 15, will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Due to limited parking, visitors must park on Fox Road and take a shuttlebus into the Arboretum. The wigwam will be located a short walk from the drop-off point.

Barry Keegan was the supervisor of Native American Programs for the New York State Historical Association and Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown, NY. He is currently a museum consultant and gives classes and demonstrations of historic and prehistoric crafts at a variety of events. He created numerous replica Lenape artifacts for an exhibit at Ellis Island, and was filmed by the History Channel, for “Mystery Quest: the Stonehenge Archer,” making a bow and arrows which he shot at bones to compare impact-marks to those on archaeological remains. He is also a contributor to Wilderness Way and the Bulletin of Primitive Technology magazines.

The Fall 2011 issue of Treeline has been mailed to all members and can be read online here. If you're not a member, please support the Arboretum and become a member today.

We will have a booth at the Croton Yacht Club's third annual “Hudson River Day” celebration on Saturday, September 10th, from 11 AM - 4 PM. The purpose of the event is to promote interest in the history and ecology of the river, to cultivate future local environmental leaders and to promote, enhance and protect river-related recreational resources.

The event will include a combination of presentations and hands on exhibits throughout the day targeting both children and adults, focusing on the history and ecology of the river. Presentations will address river history, river ecology, and environmental and conservation movements.

Events and exhibits will include: a seining exhibition where local marine life will be captured, displayed and later released; viewing tanks where local marine life can be identified and observed; exhibits on the river’s impact on local American history, boat manufacturing and restoration, current marine research; hands on exhibits for children such as toy sailboat making, fossil making and fish printing; sail boat rides; local artist displays and sales.

Food and beverages will be available, including the best fish chowder on the Hudson. Admission is free so please join us in this fun-filled, educational and family-focused event.

The Croton Yacht Club located at 6 Elliot Way in Croton-on-Hudson.

The violent storm that brought torrential rain, quarter-sized hail and "microbursts" of strong wind to Croton and Ossining on July 29th also tore through the Arboretum, toppling about a dozen large trees and tearing off countless branches. The golf course superintendant at Hudson National witnessed the storm and saw the gusts of wind move diagonally through the Arborteum.

The National Weather Service determined that the damage in the area was caused by a "wet microburst", a very localized column of sinking air, producing damage similar to, but distinguishable from, a tornado. A wet microburst is accompanied by significant precipitation and melting ice—particularly hail—appears to play an important role in the formation of the sudden downbursts of air.

"Storm damage was terrible," said Arboretum President Karen Jescavage-Bernard. "In addition to heartbreaking damage to some of our most treasured trees, many of the large black birch trees that have been weakened by disease were broken off at their roots or pulled out of the ground. Three huge legacy trees near the entrance had limbs twisted off the trunks."

"Thankfully Danny Ferguson immediately cleared the loop trail connecting the parking lot with the gazebo, but there is at least one hanger (a partially severed limb), dangling from the tulip tree near Norma’s Garden."

"Our top priority is getting arborists to remove any dangerous hangers and to try to clean and correct damage to trunks near the trails. Our second priority is replacing lost trees —particularly near Con Edison’s right of way—before invasive brush and vines move into the Arboretum."

"We also need to cut up and clear away the massive volume of fallen limbs and tree trunks. It's an daunting job, but at least it can be done by volunteers and workers safely on the ground."

"Stay tuned to our website and newsletter for updates on this critical reforestation project."

Thanks to the generosity of the homeowners who opened their beautiful gardens, the hard work of many volunteers, picture-perfect weather and some well-timed (and much appreciated) press coverage, the 15th Annual Croton Arboretum Garden Tour was a record-breaking success. Nearly $5,000 was raised during the event, which included a sale of native plants, donated by local gardeners.

The garden tour is the main fund-raising event for the volunteer, non-profit organization that provides environmental stewardship for 20+ acres of wetlands and woods at the Jane E. Lytle Arboretum in Croton-on-Hudson. In addition to supporting projects like the expansion of the Arboretum's handicapped-accessible boardwalk, income is also used for educational events, which the organization often co-sponsors with the Croton library, schools and other civic organizations.

"We want to thank everyone who helped make this year's tour such a smashing success," said Arboretum President, Karen Jescavage-Bernard. "We hope everyone will visit the Arboretum this summer, to enjoy our boardwalk and trails. Watch for news about a fall event we're planning with the CET PTA. Native American crafts expert Barry Keegan is going to share his encyclopedic knowledge of Hudson Valley Native American tool-making and culture in an authentic Lenape structure he's going to build in the Arboretum!"